Good News For "Follies" Mavens Yet To Visit!!!!!!!!!!!!

Girls, as you know, "Follies" is in previews, pending a September 12 opening. The show, as Ethel Merman would say is "frozen--Birds-Eye" because the text is not being tinkered with. But Mr. Eric Schaeffer, Broadway's latest toast, is trying something out this week that has not been done since the original.

Like "A Chorus Line", this show is supposed to be performed,without an intermission. But to placate theatergoers as time went on and they became more unsophisticated (though only the truly sophisticated will go to "Follies," so I never saw the point), an intermission was inserted, right at the close of the classic song "Too Many Mornings," possibly my favorite of Sondheim songs. You hear the last notes, Sally and Ben embrace, and the curtain descends on them. As a "Follies" purist, I find it mildly annoying, but I will say this--it works!!!!!!! What is unusual it that, when it resumes, it is EXACTLY in this spot, down to the final notes. Before going into the rest of the show. Which tells me how reluctant creators are to intermission "Follies."
(At least, there is a point to break it. I have been told other productions have broken it elsewhere, though I cannot imagine where. There is no way "A Chorus Line' could be broken, so, dolls, don't worry, you will NEVER see that show with an intermission!!!!! If they dared, I would email Baayork right away and she would lay down the law!!!!!!!)

So, if you want to see "Follies" distilled at its purest, this is the week to go. I am not sure if this will be maintained throughout the rest of its run, though it would be great if it were!!! Hell, I am SO tempted!!!!!!!!! But, meanwhile, take a look at this photo of Bernadette performing "Losing My Mind." Notice, especially the way the shot is angled, how she resembles the cracked Follies girl in the David Byrd poster ( a copy of which hangs in my apartment!!!!!). Don't tell me Mr. Schaeffer does not know what he is doing; you damn well better believe it!!!!!!!!!

Maybe I will see you there this week, girls!!!! As Ann Baxter says at the start of "All About Eve," "Standing room doesn't cost much...I manage."

Don't we all, girls????????????????????????????